Albert Crum

Albert Newell Crum Aug. 10, 1924 - Feb. 13, 2011 Albert Newell Crum, 86, died Sunday, February 13, 2011 in Woodland, California. Born in Oakland, son of Albert, Jr. and Dorothy Vanneman Crum, Albert grew up in Berkeley. He graduated from Berkeley High School in 1942 and later attended UC Berkeley. He married his high school sweetheart, Janet Chick, in 1947. Albert was a veteran of World War II, earning a battlefield commission, and Korea. He was honorably discharged from the Army at the rank of Second Lieutenant. After he worked much of his life as an insurance underwriter in the San Francisco Bay Area, Albert and Janet retired to the Harlan family ranch near Winters in 1982. Albert had wide-ranging interests and an intellect to match. He was an ardent reader of classic literature, had a great command of history, and was a highly regarded gardener. Friends and neighbors often dropped by to ask for "a rose or two" from his garden. In retirement Albert tirelessly engaged in outdoor projects. He especially enjoyed gatherings with his children and their families, and get-togethers with old friends and his brothers. Albert and his brothers joined at the Golden Gate Bridge for the 1987 anniversary of its opening -- they had walked together across the bridge after the ribbon-cutting ceremony in 1937, when Albert was just 12 years old. Albert enriched and inspired others with his wit, insight, and tough-as-nails constitution right to the end. Albert's beloved wife, Janet, passed away in 2005. He leaves his daughters, Carol Crum, of Winters, Liese Hunter and her husband Craig, of Rocklin, Marianne Moresi and her husband William, of Fairfield; son, Albert W. Crum, of Winters; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and his brothers, Theodore, of El Cerrito, Philip, of Moraga, and Eugene, of Pinole. He was preceded in death by a grandson, William English. Private graveside services were held at Woodland Cemetery.